Peer review in a small and a big medical journal: case study of the Croatian Medical Journal and the Lancet.
To compare reviewers recommendations and editorial decisions in The Lancet, a high-impact journal, and Croatian Medical Journal (CMJ), a small general medical journal. Case study of research manuscripts submitted to the CMJ (n=140 manuscripts; 308 review forms) and a sample of similar manuscripts submitted to The Lancet (n=141; 348 review forms) in 1999 and the first half of 2000. Reviewers recommendations and their influence on editorial decisions on manuscripts were analyzed by logistic regression. Agreement between reviewers was assessed by the kappa statistic. Although reviewers scores were identical in the two journals (median=3 for both journals, range 0 to 5), Lancet reviewers more often recommended rejection than CMJ reviewers (44% vs 17%; chi-square=52.1, p=0.029), and agreed best on rejection (kappa=0.29 [95% CI=0.04 to 0.53] vs kappa=-0.04 [-0.45 to 0.36] for CMJ). Lancet editors were even stricter than their reviewers and accepted for publication only 53% [95% CI=37 to 68] of manuscripts graded acceptable by the reviewers, compared with 85% [73 to 91] for CMJ editors (chi-square=10.0, p=0.001). For nine questions about manuscript quality in the review form, multiple regression analysis showed significant association between editorial decision and reviewers scores for the suitability of research design (B=0.70, OR=2.01, 95% CI=1.40 to 2.89, p<0.001) and discussion of systematic/random error (B=0.32, OR=1.38 [1.03 to 1.85], p=0.031) for The Lancet, and scores for novelty of information (B=0.56, OR=1.75 [1.35 to 2.27], p<0.001) for the CMJ. Reviewers of big journals, such as The Lancet, are stricter in their recommendations reviewers of a smaller journal, such as the CMJ. The Lancet editors rely on reviewers to identify methodologically superior studies, whereas CMJ editors look for the novelty of information in a manuscript.


Chrysin protects against focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice through attenuation of oxidative stress and inflammation.
Inflammation and oxidative stress play an important part in the pathogenesis of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, resulting in neuronal death. The signaling pathways involved and the underlying mechanisms of these events are not fully understood. Chrysin, which is a naturally occurring flavonoid, exhibits various biological activities. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective properties of chrysin in a mouse model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). To this end, male C57/BL6 mice were pretreated with chrysin once a day for seven days and were then subjected to 1 h of middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by reperfusion for 24 h. Our data show that chrysin successfully decreased neurological deficit scores and infarct volumes, compared with the vehicle group. The increases in glial cell numbers and proinflammatory cytokine secretion usually caused by ischemia/reperfusion were significantly ameliorated by chrysin pretreatment. Moreover, chrysin also inhibited the MCAO-induced up-regulation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), compared with the vehicle. These results suggest that chrysin could be a potential prophylactic agent for cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury mediated by its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects.


Crouzons syndrome: a case report.
Human skull is made up of many bone joints connected by sutures. The sutures fuse in later life after the complete growth of the brain. If any of these sutures closes early, it may interfere with the normal growth of the brain. The developing brain may exert pressure on the skull and may grow in the direction of the other open sutures. Premature sutural fusion may occur alone or together with other anomalies, making up various syndromes. Crouzons syndrome is an example of such a syndrome that is associated with premature synostosis of the sutures of the skull. Presented in this article is a case of Crouzons syndrome seen in a boy aged 9 years.


A Case of Unexplained Cerebral Sinus Thrombosis in a 22-Year-Old Obese Caucasian Woman.
Herein, we present the case of a 22-year old obese Caucasian woman female with no acquired thrombophilic risk factors who was diagnosed with extensive cerebral sinus thrombosis. A detailed thrombophilia workup demonstrated persistently elevated plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) activity levels, with an elevated PAI-1 antigen concentration and homozygosity for the PAI-1 4G allele (4G/4G genotype). The patient was treated with indefinite warfarin anticoagulation medication due to the unprovoked nature of her thrombotic event. Disturbances in the fibrinolytic system, in particular PAI-1, have been related to an increased risk of arterial and venous thrombosis. In this article, we discuss the pathophysiology of hypofibrinolysis associated with elevated PAI-1 levels and the PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism.


Adverse events associated with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is performed to diagnose and manage conditions of the biliary and pancreatic ducts. Though effective, it is associated with common adverse events (AEs). The purpose of this study is to systematically review ERCP AE rates and report up-to-date pooled estimates. A comprehensive electronic search will be conducted of relevant medical databases through 10 November 2020. A study team of eight data abstracters will independently determine study eligibility, assess quality and abstract data in parallel, with any two concordant entries constituting agreement and with discrepancies resolved by consensus. The primary outcome will be the pooled incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis, with secondary outcomes including post-ERCP bleeding, cholangitis, perforation, cholecystitis, death and unplanned healthcare encounters. Secondary outcomes will also include rates of specific and overall AEs within clinically relevant subgroups determined a priori. DerSimonian and Laird random effects models will be used to perform meta-analyses of these outcomes. Sources of heterogeneity will be explored via meta-regression. Subgroup analyses based on median dates of data collection across studies will be performed to determine whether AE rates have changed over time. Ethics approval is not required for this study as it is a planned meta-analysis of previously published data. Participant consent is similarly not required. Dissemination is planned via presentation at relevant conferences in addition to publication in peer-reviewed journals.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020220221.


Temperature Dependence of the Biophysical Mechanisms Underlying the Inhibition and Enhancement Effect of Amiodarone on hERG Channels.
hERG K+ channel is important for controlling the duration of cardiac action potentials. Amiodarone (AMD), a widely prescribed class III antiarrhythmic, could inhibit hERG currents with relatively few tachyarrhythmic adverse events. We use injected Xenopus oocyte with two-electrode voltage clamp techniques to characterize the action of AMD on hERG channels. We found that AMD binds to the resting hERG channel with an apparent dissociation constant of ∼1.4 μM, and inhibits hERG currents at mild and strong depolarization pulses by slowing activation and enhancing inactivation, respectively, at 22°C. The activation kinetics of hERG channel activation are much faster, but inactivation kinetics are slower at 37°C. AMD accordingly has a 15% to 20% weaker and stronger inhibitory effect at mild and strong depolarization (e.g., -60 and +30 mV, 0.3-second pulse), respectively. In the meanwhile, the resurgent hERG tail currents are dose-dependently inhibited by AMD without altering the kinetics of current decay at both 22°C and 37°C, indicating facilitation of recovery from inactivation via the silent route. Most importantly, AMD no longer inhibits but enhances hERG currents at a mild pulse shortly after a prepulse at 37°C, but not so much at 22°C. We conclude that AMD is an effective hERG channel-gating modifier capable of lengthening the plateau phase of cardiac action potential (without increasing the chance of afterdepolarization). AMD, however, should be used with caution in hypothermia or the other scenarios that slow hERG channel activation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: It is known that amiodarone (AMD) acts on hERG K+ channels to treat cardiac arrhythmias with relatively little arrhythmogenicity. We found that AMD enhances hERG channel inactivation but slows activation as well as recovery from inactivation, and thus has a differential inhibition and enhancement effect on hERG currents at different phases of membrane voltage changes, especially at 37°C, but not so much at 22°C. AMD is therefore a relatively ideal agent against tachyarrhythmia at 37°C, but should be more cautiously used at lower temperatures or relevant pathophysiological/pharmacological scenarios associated with slower hERG channel activation because of the increased chances of adverse events.


A recommended integrated mechanism to enhance OSH management of blue-collar foreign workers in Taiwan.
This study examines the roles and functions of businesses, labor-exporting countries' representative offices in Taiwan, religious organizations, and manpower agencies in promoting occupational safety and health (OSH). It also offers advice to Taiwanese authorities on making policies and improvements regarding the oversight mechanism mandated by the Labor Safety and Health Act, giving them an idea of what to focus on when enforcing control over blue-collar foreign workers' OSH conditions. This study also proposes that Taiwanese authorities may serve not only as an overseer/inspector of those hiring blue-collar foreign workers in Taiwan, but also expand their role to lay down policies regarding a variety of OSH teaching materials in the blue-collar foreign workers' native languages (spoken or written), the qualifications of translators in blue-collar foreign workers' OSH training programs, and regulations concerning the longer hours such training programs take.


Sequence-dependent dsDNA-templated formation of fluorescent copper nanoparticles.
There are only a few systematic rules about how to selectively control the formation of DNA-templated metal nanoparticles (NPs) by varying sequence combinations of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), although many attempts have been made. Herein, we develop a facile method for sequence-dependent formation of fluorescent CuNPs by using dsDNA as templates. Compared with random sequences, AT sequences are better templates for highly fluorescent CuNPs. Other specific sequences, for example, GC sequences, do not induce the formation of CuNPs. These results shed light on directed DNA metallization in a sequence-specific manner. Significantly, both the fluorescence intensity and the fluorescence lifetime of CuNPs can be tuned by the length or the sequence of dsDNA. In order to demonstrate the promising practicality of our findings, a sensitive and label-free fluorescence nuclease assay is proposed.


Structural changes in calcium silicate hydrate gel and resulting improvement in phosphate species removal properties after mechanochemical treatment.
The discharge of phosphate species into aqueous environments is a key issue for eutrophication prevention. In this study, we investigate a mechanochemical treatment of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel with different organic solvents with the aim of changing its structure and improving its phosphate species removal properties. The treatment leads to a collapse of the gel structure, resulting in the formation of defective structures in the silicate anion chains. The C-S-H gel sample milled with acetone exhibits better phosphate species recovery characteristics than does the unmilled C-S-H gel sample or the C-S-H gel sample milled with 1-propanol. Ultraviolet irradiation during phosphate recovery using the C-S-H gel sample milled with acetone further enhances the recovery properties.


Effectiveness of oral magnesium in a patient with ventricular tachycardia due to hypomagnesemia.
A 12-year-old girl with occasional symptoms of chest discomfort was diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia on cardiac evaluation. No evidence of organic heart disease was apparent, but a laboratory evaluation revealed hypomagnesemia. Ventricular tachycardia disappeared after treatment with 200 mg/day of oral magnesium hydroxide, and no further chest discomfort was reported. In addition to routine cardiac evaluation for arrhythmia, serum magnesium levels should be checked in patients with suspected idiopathic benign ventricular tachycardia. Treatment with oral magnesium is a physiologic therapy and should be considered for patients with ventricular tachycardia due to hypomagnesemia.


Put your publication money where your mouth is.
Two members of our Editorial Board discuss how the proceeds from article processing charges from Brain Communications and our sister journal Brain are put back into the translational neuroscience community.


Patterns of unmet needs in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors: in their own words.
Categorization of the needs of AYA cancer survivors is primarily based on quantitative analyses of epidemiological and observational research. The present study classified the phenomenological experiences of AYA survivors based on their own language. A systematic approach for selecting qualitative studies of unmet needs in AYA cancer survivors was used. Following selection based on quality, survivor statements were entered verbatim and thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo qualitative research software. A total of 1993 AYA cancer survivors (post-treatment) were included in 58 studies (78% individual interviews). Mean age was 27.6 with an average of 8.6 years post-primary treatment. The organizational framework reported in this study was based on a heterogeneous group of cancer types. Thirteen themes including symptoms, function, reproductive health, emotional well-being, health management, health care system, social interaction, romantic relationships, cancer disclosure, normalcy, career development and employment, and school and fiscal concerns were identified. Forty-eight subthemes were also identified covering such areas as fertility, integrative health services, advice for cancer disclosure, family interaction, and insurance challenges. Direct analysis of text identified many common unmet needs similarly reported in the quantitative literature. The phenomenological data also provided a breakdown of unmet needs into subthemes or elements of unmet needs. This information can help form the basis for a personalized, valid, and reliable evaluation tool of the range of unmet needs in AYA survivors.


Mixed infection in adult post-neurosurgical bacterial meningitis: a hospital-based study.
Post-neurosurgical (post-NS) adult bacterial meningitis (ABM) with mixed infection is rarely examined solely in the literature. The clinical features and laboratory data of post-NS ABM patients with mixed infection were included for analysis. Totally 170 post-NS ABM cases were identified and 18 (11 men and 7 women, aged 20-77 years, median = 57.5) of them had a mixed infection. A total of 45 bacterial strains including 34 Gram-negative [Gm(-)] strains and 11 Gram-positive [Gm(+)] strains were isolated. Of the implicated pathogens, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and Klebsiella spp. were the common Gm(-) strains, while staphylococcal, streptococcal, and enterococcal strains were the common Gm(+) strains. Compared with the post-NS ABM cases with monomicrobial infection, those with mixed infection had a lower cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell count. The mortality rate of post-NS ABM cases was 33.3% (6/18) without significant clinical and laboratory difference between the fatal and non-fatal groups. Mixed infection is not uncommon in post-NS ABM (10.6%, 18/170), and its mortality rate is high. Seventy-six percent of the implicated bacterial pathogens belonged to Gm(-) strains, while the other 24% were Gm(+) strains. The clinical and laboratory features of ABM with mixed infection are not unique; its diagnosis can only be confirmed by a positive CSF culture.


Natural variation in a short region of the Acidovorax citrulli type III-secreted effector AopW1 is associated with differences in cytotoxicity and host adaptation.
Bacterial fruit blotch, caused by Acidovorax citrulli, is a serious disease of melon and watermelon. The strains of the pathogen belong to two major genetic groups: group I strains are strongly associated with melon, while group II strains are more aggressive on watermelon. A. citrulli secretes many protein effectors to the host cell via the type III secretion system. Here we characterized AopW1, an effector that shares similarity to the actin cytoskeleton-disrupting effector HopW1 of Pseudomonas syringae and with effectors from other plant-pathogenic bacterial species. AopW1 has a highly variable region (HVR) within amino acid positions 147 to 192, showing 14 amino acid differences between group I and II variants. We show that group I AopW1 is more toxic to yeast and Nicotiana benthamiana cells than group II AopW1, having stronger actin filament disruption activity, and increased ability to induce cell death and reduce callose deposition. We further demonstrated the importance of some amino acid positions within the HVR for AopW1 cytotoxicity. Cellular analyses revealed that AopW1 also localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum, chloroplasts, and plant endosomes. We also show that overexpression of the endosome-associated protein EHD1 attenuates AopW1-induced cell death and increases defense responses. Finally, we show that sequence variation in AopW1 plays a significant role in the adaptation of group I and II strains to their preferred hosts, melon and watermelon, respectively. This study provides new insights into the HopW1 family of bacterial effectors and provides first evidence on the involvement of EHD1 in response to biotic stress.


Environmental light and endogenous antioxidants as the main determinants of non-cancer ocular diseases.
The human eye is constantly exposed to sunlight and artificial lighting. Exogenous sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as UV light, visible light, ionizing radiation, chemotherapeutics, and environmental toxins contribute to oxidative damage in ocular tissues. Long-term exposure to these insults places the aging eye at considerable risk for pathological consequences of oxidative stress. Furthermore, in eye tissues, mitochondria are an important endogenous source of ROS. Over time, all ocular structures, from the tear film to the retina, undergo oxidative stress, and therefore, the antioxidant defenses of each tissue assume the role of a safeguard against degenerative ocular pathologies. The ocular surface and cornea protect the other ocular tissues and are significantly exposed to oxidative stress of environmental origin. Overwhelming of antioxidant defenses in these tissues clinically manifests as pathologies including pterygium, corneal dystrophies, and endothelial Fuch's dystrophy. The crystalline lens is highly susceptible to oxidative damage in aging because its cells and their intracellular proteins are not turned over or replaced, thus providing the basis for cataractogenesis. The trabecular meshwork, which is the anterior chamber tissue devoted to aqueous humor drainage, has a particular susceptibility to mitochondrial oxidative injury that affects its endothelium and leads to an intraocular pressure increase that marks the beginning of glaucoma. Photo-oxidative stress can cause acute or chronic retinal damage. The pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration involves oxidative stress and death of the retinal pigment epithelium followed by death of the overlying photoreceptors. Accordingly, converging evidence indicates that mutagenic mechanisms of environmental and endogenous sources play a fundamental pathogenic role in degenerative eye diseases.


Dietary Intake In Adult Female Coeliac Disease Patients In Slovenia: PREHRANSKI VNOS ODRASLIH BOLNIC S CELIAKIJO V SLOVENIJI.
The aim of the study was to assess dietary intake of coeliac disease (CD) patients and to determine if they are meeting the dietary reference values for a balanced diet. 40 women with CD, aged from 23 to 76 participated in our study. Total daily intake was assessed by a three-day food diary. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) was calculated using Harris-Benedict equation. Considering physical activity level (PAL) 1.4, the recommended total energy expenditure (TEE) value was determined. The data was evaluated with professional evaluation software Prodi and statistically analysed. 40 participants returned the food diary. The average energy intake was significantly too low to ensure the meeting of all-day energy needs (p<0.05). The meals contained a recommended proportion of protein, but a statistically significantly higher proportion of fat (p<0.05), lower proportion of carbohydrates and a significantly lower intake of dietary fibre (p<0.05). Regarding macro-, micro- elements and vitamins, there was a significant lack in the intake of calcium and iodine, folic acid, vitamin D and vitamin A (p<0.05), meanwhile iron intake was at the lower limit of the recommended intake, whereas zinc, potassium and vitamin K intake were significantly higher according to the recommended values, but were comparable with the intake of the general population in the Central European area. Even in subjects with adequate or low daily energy intake, their meals contained too much fat, too few carbohydrates and dietary fibre as well as inorganic substances. The patients with CD should get regular nutritional monitoring and education on the quality and balance of a gluten-free diet.


Effects of c-myc oncogene modulation on differentiation of human small cell lung carcinoma cell lines.
Amplification and over-expression of oncogenes of the myc family are related to the prognosis of certain solid tumors such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC). For SCLC, c-myc is the oncogene most consistently found to correlate with the end stage behaviour of the tumour, in particular with survival after chemotherapeutic treatment. C-myc is important in many cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. In the present study the relationship between c-myc and differentiation was analyzed by down-regulation of endogenous c-myc protein, using two approaches: first by coculturing with antisense (AS) oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) in the human SCLC cell line GLC4 and its 6-fold cisplatin resistant subline GLC4-CDDP, second by stable transfection of GLC4-CDDP with a dexamethasone-inducible AS c-myc expression vector. Basic characterization of the differentiation status of GLC4 and GLC4-CDDP showed a decrease in neuroendocrine differentiation in GLC4-CDDP compared to GLC4 Cytokeratin was absent in both cell lines. No significant differences in expression of adhesion molecules or myeloid antigens were observed between the lines. Vimentin expression was higher in GLC4-CDDP compared to GLC4 (AS c-myc ODN)-induced growth inhibition and down-regulation of endogenous c-myc protein further decreased neuroendocrine differentiation (CD57 positive cells) in GLC4-CDDP without affecting the expression of other antigens such as vimentin (intermediate filament),CD15 (myeloid antigen) and VLA-alpha 4 (adhesion molecule) and did not alter the expression of these antigens in GLC4 (AS c-myc RNA)-induced growth inhibition did not significantly affect the expression of the tested antigens in the AS c-myc transfected GLC4-CDDP/AS cell line. No effect of nonsense c-myc ODN or dexamethasone-induced control RNA (controls) was observed.


Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: A disorder of the HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system?
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), a variant of cyclic vomiting syndrome, is an enigmatic and challenging clinical disorder. As cannabis legalization, use, and potency has increased worldwide over the past decade, so has the prevalence of CHS. These patients often require acute care and inpatient treatment for refractory emesis, electrolyte derangement, dehydration, acute renal failure, and injury to the upper gastrointestinal tract. Routinely-prescribed antiemetics are frequently associated with treatment failure in CHS, necessitating use of sedating agents such as benzodiazepines and antipsychotics. Hydrotherapy with hot water provides short-term symptomatic relief from acute episodes of CHS. The reasons for this may be from chronic and/or excessive cannabis use leading to abnormal stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in CHS patients. Overuse of cannabis may also lead to dysfunction of the endocannabinoid system, which is essential for allostasis of the autonomic nervous system after stress.


Cherenkov radiation conversion and collection considerations for a gamma bang time/reaction history diagnostic for the NIF.
Bang time and reaction history measurements are fundamental components of diagnosing inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions and will be essential contributors to diagnosing attempts at ignition on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Fusion gammas provide a direct measure of fusion interaction rate without being compromised by Doppler spreading. Gamma-based gas Cherenkov detectors that convert fusion gamma rays to optical Cherenkov photons for collection by fast recording systems have been developed and fielded at Omega. These systems have established their usefulness in illuminating ICF physics in several experimental campaigns. Bang time precision better than 25 ps has been demonstrated, well below the 50 ps accuracy requirement defined by the NIF system design requirements. A comprehensive, validated numerical study of candidate systems is providing essential information needed to make a down selection based on optimization of sensitivity, bandwidth, dynamic range, cost, and NIF logistics. This paper presents basic design considerations arising from the two-step conversion process from gamma rays to relativistic electrons to UV/visible Cherenkov radiation.


Image Mapping Accuracy Evaluation Using UAV with Standalone, Differential (RTK), and PPP GNSS Positioning Techniques in an Abandoned Mine Site.
Global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) provide a common positioning method that utilizes satellite signals to determine the spatial location of a receiver. However, there are several error factors in standalone GNSS positioning due to instrumental, procedural, and environmental factors that arise during the signal transmission process, and the final positioning error can be up to several meters or greater in length. Thus, real-time kinematic (RTK) correction and post-mission precise point positioning (PPP) processing technologies are proposed to improve accuracy and accomplish precise position measurements. To evaluate the geolocation accuracy of mosaicked UAV images of an abandoned mine site, we compared each orthomosaic image and digital elevation model obtained using standalone GNSS positioning, differential (RTK) GNSS positioning, and post-mission PPP processing techniques. In the three types of error evaluation measure (i.e., relative camera location error, ground control points-based absolute image mapping error, and volumetric difference of mine tailings), we found that the RTK GNSS positioning method obtained the best performance in terms of the relative camera location error and the absolute image mapping error evaluations, and the PPP post-processing correction effectively reduced the error (69.5% of the average total relative camera location error and 59.3% of the average total absolute image mapping error) relative to the standalone GNSS positioning method. Although differential (RTK) GNSS positioning is widely used in positioning applications that require very high accuracy, post-mission PPP processing can also be used in various fields in which it is either not feasible to operate expensive equipment to receive RTK GNSS signals or network RTK services are unavailable.


Mitochondrion-Dependent Apoptosis Is Essential for Rickettsia parkeri Infection and Replication in Vector Cells.
Apoptosis is an innate immune response induced by infection in eukaryotes that contributes significantly to protection from pathogens. However, little is known about the role of apoptosis in the interactions of arthropod vectors with the rickettsiae that they transmit. Rickettsia spp. are vector-borne obligately intracellular bacteria and display different degrees of virulence in their eukaryotic hosts. In this study, we found that infection with Rickettsia parkeri (Rp) activated the apoptosis pathway in an Amblyomma americanum tick cell line (AAE2), as evidenced by the loss of phospholipid membrane asymmetry and DNA fragmentations. Additionally, infection with Rp also led to apoptosis activation in cell lines of different tick species. Interestingly, suppressing apoptosis decreased Rp infection and replication, while the activation of apoptosis increased Rp accumulation at the early stage of infection. Moreover, mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis was essential for Rp infection and replication in vector cells, and apoptosis induction required intracellular rickettsia replication. We further showed that Rp utilizes two different survival strategies to modulate apoptosis in the arthropod vectors and mammalian host cells. There was no direct correlation between apoptosis activation in vector cells and rickettsial pathogenicity. These novel findings indicate a possible mechanism whereby apoptosis facilitates infection and replication of a Rickettsia sp. in an arthropod vector. These results contribute to our understanding of how the vector's responses to pathogen infection affect pathogen replication and therefore transmission.IMPORTANCE Rickettsioses, infections caused by the genus Rickettsia, are among the oldest known infectious diseases. Ticks are essential arthropod vectors for rickettsiae, and knowledge about the interactions between ticks, their hosts, and pathogens is fundamental for identifying drivers of tick-borne rickettsioses. Despite the rapid development in apoptosis research with rickettsiae, little is known regarding the role of apoptosis in the interactions between Rickettsia spp., vertebrate hosts, and arthropod vectors. Here, we demonstrated that mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis is essential for rickettsial infection and replication in vector cells and that apoptosis induction requires intracellular rickettsial replication. However, rickettsial pathogenicity is not linked with apoptosis activation in tick cells. Our findings improve understanding of the apoptosis mechanism in arthropods exploited by rickettsiae and also the potential to discover specific targets for new vaccines and drugs to prevent or treat rickettsial infections.


Congenital indifference to pain: an illustrated case report and literature review.
Congenital indifference to pain is a rare and debilitating congenital disease. Individuals with the disorder may have one or a combination of sensory or autonomic deficits, which can range from lack of mechanical nociception, diminished ability to detect heat and cool stimulation, to the devastating and fatal form which includes autonomic dysfunction. It is important for radiologists to be able to recognize the radiographic presentations of this rare disorder, as delay in diagnosis can lead to extensive and sometimes unnecessary workup. We present a case of congenital indifference to pain initially interpreted as a mass of the distal femur.


Fgf signals from a novel signaling center determine axial patterning of the prospective neural retina.
Axial eye patterning determines the positional code of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), which is crucial for their topographic projection to the midbrain. Several asymmetrically expressed determinants of retinal patterning are known, but it is unclear how axial polarity is first established. We find that Fgf signals, including Fgf8, determine retinal patterning along the nasotemporal (NT) axis during early zebrafish embryogenesis: Fgf8 induces nasal and/or suppresses temporal retinal cell fates; and inhibition of all Fgf-receptor signaling leads to complete retinal temporalization and concomitant loss of all nasal fates. Misprojections of RGCs with Fgf-dependent alterations in retinal patterning to the midbrain demonstrate the importance of this early patterning process for late topographic map formation. The crucial period of Fgf-dependent patterning is at the onset of eye morphogenesis. Fgf8 expression, the restricted temporal requirement for Fgf-receptor signaling and target gene expression at this stage suggests that the telencephalic primordium is the source of Fgf8 and acts as novel signaling center for non-autonomous axial patterning of the prospective neural retina.


Theoretical calculations of low-field electroreflectance of ultra-thin hexagonal BN films at the fundamental absorption edge.
A theory is developed to describe the electric field effect on the reflectivity of ultra-thin films of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) at the fundamental absorption edge. The formulation of the theory is based on the original nonlinear optical approach to electroreflectance (ER) worked out by Aspnes and Rowe (1972 Phys. Rev. B 5 4022). Within the framework of the approach, the electric-field-induced change in the reflectivity in the low-field regime is expressed in terms of the third derivative of the linear optical dielectric function of the system. An explicit closed-form expression for this function is derived within the independent-layer approximation using the tight-binding representation for the π-electron energy bands of h-BN atomic layers. Incorporating this result with the general formalism of Aspnes and Rowe enables the electro-optical response function to be obtained in an explicit analytic form convenient to further numerical analysis for any particular set of input empirical parameters. The results of such an analysis suitable for the ER effect in few-layer h-BN films are presented and discussed in the context of important information they are able to provide for band structure parameters of this material. Our findings (e.g. distinct resonant field-invariant spectral features in the ER near the fundamental bandgap of the material under study) suggest that the ER technique can be used as a sensitive tool to help characterize the electronic structure of atomic hexagonal layers built from boron and nitrogen.


Stochastic representations of ion channel kinetics and exact stochastic simulation of neuronal dynamics.
In this paper we provide two representations for stochastic ion channel kinetics, and compare the performance of exact simulation with a commonly used numerical approximation strategy. The first representation we present is a random time change representation, popularized by Thomas Kurtz, with the second being analogous to a "Gillespie" representation. Exact stochastic algorithms are provided for the different representations, which are preferable to either (a) fixed time step or (b) piecewise constant propensity algorithms, which still appear in the literature. As examples, we provide versions of the exact algorithms for the Morris-Lecar conductance based model, and detail the error induced, both in a weak and a strong sense, by the use of approximate algorithms on this model. We include ready-to-use implementations of the random time change algorithm in both XPP and Matlab. Finally, through the consideration of parametric sensitivity analysis, we show how the representations presented here are useful in the development of further computational methods. The general representations and simulation strategies provided here are known in other parts of the sciences, but less so in the present setting.


Reversible hypercapnic respiratory insufficiency in scleroderma caused by respiratory muscle weakness.
A patient with scleroderma presented with hypercapnic respiratory failure. Evaluation of pulmonary mechanics revealed severe restriction caused in part by respiratory muscle weakness. Treatment with prednisone corrected hypoventilation, improved symptoms, increased lung volumes, returned respiratory muscle strength to normal range, but did not change the degree of lung stiffness. This case demonstrates that restrictive patterns in scleroderma can be due to either lung or chest wall disease and that the latter may be reversible. If respiratory muscle weakness is present with restrictive ventilatory patterns in patients with scleroderma, a therapeutic trial of corticosteroid is warranted.


Climate change and West Nile virus in a highly endemic region of North America.
The Canadian prairie provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta have reported the highest human incidence of clinical cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in Canada. The primary vector for WVN in this region is the mosquito Culex tarsalis. This study used constructed models and biological thresholds to predict the spatial and temporal distribution of Cx. tarsalis and WNV infection rate in the prairie provinces under a range of potential future climate and habitat conditions. We selected one median and two extreme outcome scenarios to represent future climate conditions in the 2020 (2010-2039), 2050 (2040-2069) and 2080 (2070-2099) time slices. In currently endemic regions, the projected WNV infection rate under the median outcome scenario in 2050 raised 17.91 times (ranged from 1.29-27.45 times for all scenarios and time slices) comparing to current climate conditions. Seasonal availability of Cx. tarsalis infected with WNV extended from June to August to include May and September. Moreover, our models predicted northward range expansion for Cx. tarsalis (1.06-2.56 times the current geographic area) and WNV (1.08-2.34 times the current geographic area). These findings predict future public and animal health risk of WNV in the Canadian prairie provinces.


Effects of cooperative nursing and patient education on postoperative infection and self-efficacy in gastrointestinal tumors.
Gastrointestinal tumors have a high incidence rate. The application value of the cooperative nursing care system of medical care has received widespread attention in recent years. However, there are few studies on the value of the joint application of collaborative nursing care and self-efficacy education. To explore the effect of cooperative nursing care management/self-efficacy education on postoperative infection and self-efficacy in gastrointestinal tumor surgery patients. A total of 102 patients with gastrointestinal tumors treated in our hospital from October 2018 to February 2020 were selected and divided into a conventional group (n = 51) and a combined group (n = 51) according to the nursing plan. The routine group adopted routine nursing, and the joint group adopted the medical care cooperative responsibility system nursing management combined with self-efficacy education. The self-efficacy scores, coping style scores, self-experience burden scores, and postoperative complication rates of the two groups before and after intervention were counted. After intervention, the daily life behavior management, cognitive symptom management, and disease management scores of the two groups were higher than those before the intervention, and those of the combined group were higher than those of the conventional group (all P = 0.000). After the intervention, the positive response scores of the two groups were higher than those before the intervention, the negative response scores were lower than those before the intervention, and the combined group was better than the conventional group (all P = 0.000). After the intervention, the two groups' emotional, economic, and physical factor scores were lower than those before the intervention, and the combined group was lower than the conventional group (all P = 0.000). The incidence of infection in the combined group (1.96%) was lower than that in the conventional group (15.69%) (P = 0.036). Cooperative nursing care management and self-efficacy education improved the physical and mental states of gastrointestinal cancer surgery patients, change the response to disease, and reduce the risk of postoperative infection.


Resemblance between tonometer readings on relatives and spouses.
The resemblance between tonometer readings on relatives and spouses was studied in a material derived from a population survey and consisting of 1042 unique individuals forming 365 nuclear families and 1333 pairs divided into groups with different sex-composition and type of connection. Persons in whom glaucoma was suspected were excluded. The general level of resemblance in the present study was similar to that in previous studies. Differences between groups with different sex-composition conformed to a pattern expected from environmental effects. The resemblance between husbands and their wives was highly significant and of the same order of magnitude as that in relatives sharing a common genetic background. We concluded that a common environment contributes materially to the resemblance between tometer readings on relatives. The possibility of a cumulative environmental effect was suggested by an increase in resemblance with age.


Hyperbranched PEGmethacrylate linear pDMAEMA block copolymer as an efficient non-viral gene delivery vector.
A unique hyperbranched polymeric system with a linear poly-2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (pDMAEMA) block and a hyperbranched polyethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMEMA) and ethylene dimethacrylate (EGDMA) block was designed and synthesized via deactivation enhanced atom transfer radical polymerisation (DE-ATRP) for efficient gene delivery. Using this unique structure, with a linear pDMAEMA block, which efficiently binds to plasmid DNA (pDNA) and hyperbranched polyethylene glycol (PEG) based block as a protective shell, we were able to maintain high transfection levels without sacrificing cellular viability even at high doses. The transfection capability and cytotoxicity of the polymers over a range of pDNA concentration were analysed and the results were compared to commercially available transfection vectors such as polyethylene imine (branched PEI, 25 kDa), partially degraded poly(amido amine)dendrimer (dPAMAM; commercial name: SuperFect(®)) in fibroblasts and adipose tissue derived stem cells (ADSCs).


(5,11,17,23-Tetra-tert-butyl-26,28-dihydroxycalix[4]arene-25,27-dioxy)diacetic acid N,N-dimethylformamide trisolvate.
The title compound, C48H60O8.3C3H7NO, is a derivative of calix[4]arene in the cone conformation, modified with distal carboxylic acid functional groups at the lower rim. A clathrate dimethylformamide (DMF) molecule is located within the calix[4]arene cone, and two DMF solvate molecules participate in hydrogen bonding with the carboxylic acid groups. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds are also formed between the OH groups and the adjacent ether groups in the partially substituted calix[4]arene.


[Nonpoint pollution control for rural areas of China with ecological engineering technologies].
Nonpoint pollution from rural areas is the results of the ecosystem degradation, and ecological engineering technologies are good ways for the restoration of watershed and enhancing material cycling. There are two types of treatment strategies: to control the polluted runoff and to reduce the pollutants from the sources. Six control technologies are introduced and they are multipond systems, grassed filter trips, wetland systems, eco-agriculture, slope ecological engineering, ecological treatment of wastewater and solid waste. These technologies need to be combined systematically in order to form a watershed ecological engineering. In the control program, it is important to use countermeasure suitable to the local conditions. In addition, the input of sufficient investment, management and education is necessary.


Evaluation of the maintenance of stemness, viability, and differentiation potential of gingiva-derived stem-cell spheroids.
Gingiva-derived stem cells have been applied for tissue-engineering purposes and may be considered a favorable source of mesenchymal stem cells as harvesting stem cells from the mandible or maxilla may be performed with ease under local anesthesia. The present study was performed to fabricate stem-cell spheroids using concave microwells and to evaluate the maintenance of stemness, viability, and differentiation potential. Gingiva-derived stem cells were isolated, and the stem cells of 4×105 (group A) or 8×105 (group B) cells were seeded into polydimethylsiloxane-based, concave micromolds with 600 µm diameters. The morphology of the microspheres and the change of the diameters of the spheroids were evaluated. The viability of spheroids was qualitatively analyzed via Live/Dead kit assay. A cell viability analysis was performed on days 1, 3, 6, and 12 with Cell Counting Kit-8. The maintenance of stemness was evaluated with immunocytochemical staining using SSEA-4, TRA-1-60(R) (positive markers), and SSEA-1 (negative marker). Osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation potential was evaluated by incubating spheroids in osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic induction medium, respectively. The gingiva-derived stem cells formed spheroids in the concave microwells. The diameters of the spheroids were larger in group A than in group B. The majority of cells in the spheroids emitted green fluorescence, indicating the presence of live cells at day 6. At day 12, the majority of cells in the spheroids emitted green fluorescence, and a small portion of red fluorescence was also noted, which indicated the presence of dead cells. The spheroids were positive for the stem-cell markers SSEA-4 and TRA-1-60(R) and were negative for SSEA-1, suggesting that these spheroids primarily contained undifferentiated human stem cells. Osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation was more evident with an increase of incubation time: Mineralized extracellular deposits were observed following Alizarin Red S staining at days 14 and 21; oil globules were increased at day 18 when compared with day 6; and Alcian blue staining was more evident at day 18 when compared with day 6. Within the limits of this study, stem-cell spheroids from gingival cells maintained the stemness, viability, and differentiation potential during the experimental periods. This method may be applied for a promising strategy for stem-cell therapy.


Socio-cultural determinants of tobacco consumption: a study of migrant and local workers in a district of Punjab, India.
Although the use of tobacco in the state of Punjab is below the national statistics of India, according to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2016 Report, its consumption has increased. Also, what sets it apart from rest of the nation is the cultural as well as the religious taboo associated with tobacco use. The case of Punjab is also peculiar because of the socio demographic profile of the region which has changed since Green Revolution. Having said that, use of tobacco is a social phenomenon and it becomes important to place tobacco use in a social and cultural context. The aim of the study is to explore the socio -cultural determinants of tobacco use within local and migrant groups in a district of Punjab. The tobacco users in the district were divided into groups of local and migrant labourers and focus group discussion was carried out with them. There were various social correlates of tobacco use in the district which saw variations within and across these groups. The socio demographic factors of age, gender, religion and place of residence were related to the use of tobacco and presented similarities and variations across the groups. The study concluded that tobacco prevention and control policies should include cultural interventions to change current traditional practices and social determinants which influence the use of tobacco.


Haemophilic arthropathy of the elbow.
Patients affected by haemophilia commonly have recurrent intra-articular bleeding which leads to progressive destruction and instability of joints. Severe arthropathy of the elbow is complicated by pain, stiffness and loss of function which can be debilitating. Conservative measures such as analgesics, physiotherapy and orthotics are commonly used in the management of these patients. Surgery is considered when conservative measures fail to control the symptoms. Total elbow replacement is now increasingly performed with the advances made in factor replacement therapy and evolution of better implants and techniques of total elbow arthroplasty. The pathogenesis, clinical features and radiological changes of haemophilic arthropathy of the elbow are described in this review article.


A case of bladder agenesis.
Agenesis of the bladder is a rare anomaly, and it is usually associated with the absence of the urethra. In the case report herein, a normal urethra was found with ureters emptying into the posterior urethra. The right kidney was non-functioning and small.


Uptake and processing of serine: pyruvate aminotransferase precursor by rat liver mitochondria in vitro and in vivo.
Processing and uptake of the precursor of serine: pyruvate aminotransferase [EC 22.214.171.124] by mitochondria were studied in vitro and in vivo. Serine: pyruvate aminotransferase was synthesized mainly on free ribosomes as judged by immunoprecipitation of puromycin-labeled nascent peptides prepared from free and bound ribosomes. The precursor of rat liver serine:pyruvate aminotransferase (pSPT) synthesized in vitro was post-translationally processed to an apparently mature form by isolated rat liver mitochondria. Available evidence indicated that the processed product was localized in the matrix of mitochondria. Mature serine:pyruvate aminotransferase did not inhibit the in vitro processing, suggesting that the extra peptide was necessary for the mitochondrial uptake of the precursor. In the livers of rats fed a vitamin B6-deficient high-protein diet, the induction by glucagon of serine:pyruvate aminotransferase occurred and most of the induced enzyme existed in mitochondria as the apo-form, suggesting that pSPT was taken up by mitochondria and processed in the apo-form under the conditions employed. In the in vitro system, on the other hand, the processing of pSPT proceeded both in the absence and presence of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. Should the precursor also bind the prosthetic molecule, therefore, it would be transported into mitochondria in both the apo- and holo-forms. When isolated rat hepatocytes were labeled with [35S]methionine, labeled pSPT appeared in the cytosolic fraction and was transported rapidly into mitochondria in association with the processing. This uptake and processing were inhibited by a fluorescent laser dye, rhodamine 123, and the precursor accumulated in the cytosol in the presence of the dye.


Actin-mediated movement of chloroplasts.
Plants are sessile and require diverse strategies to adapt to fluctuations in the surrounding light conditions. Consequently, the photorelocation movement of chloroplasts is essential to prevent damages that are induced by intense light (avoidance response) and to ensure efficient photosynthetic activities under weak light conditions (accumulation response). The mechanisms that underlie chloroplast movements have been revealed through analysis of the behavior of individual chloroplasts and it has been found that these organelles can move in any direction without turning. This implies that any part of the chloroplast periphery can function as the leading or trailing edge during movement. This ability is mediated by a special structure, which consists of short actin filaments that are polymerized at the leading edge of moving chloroplasts and are specifically localized in the space between the chloroplast and the plasma membrane, and is called chloroplast-actin. In addition, several of the genes that encode proteins that are involved in chloroplast-actin polymerization or maintenance have been identified. In this Review, we discuss the mechanisms that regulate chloroplast movements through polymerization of the chloroplast-actin and propose a model for actin-driven chloroplast photorelocation movement.


Pd/Cu-catalyzed dual C-H bond carbonylation towards the synthesis of fluorazones.
Pd/Cu catalyzed oxidative dual C-H bond activation/carbonylation still remains a great challenge due to the generation of by-products via C-C bond formation. Herein we developed a straightforward Pd/Cu-catalyzed oxidative dual C-H bond carbonylation process to access biologically and pharmaceutically important fluorazones from easily available N-aryl pyrroles and CO. A wide range of functional groups were well tolerated in this transformation, and O2 could be utilized as the only terminal oxidant to promote the oxidative carbonylation process.


Pediatric Acute Liver Failure: A Clinicopathological Perspective.
Pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) is a life-threatening disorder characterized by acute hepatocellular injury occurring in children without recognized underlying liver disease. The clinicopathologic evaluation of PALF requires a different approach from that in adults. The diagnostic considerations differ depending on the age, personal and family history, geographical region, and clinical presentation. Distinct entities such as gestational alloimmune liver disease, herpes simplex virus infection, and metabolic disorders should be considered in neonates with acute liver failure, while acetaminophen toxicity and autoimmune hepatitis are more frequently seen in older children and adolescents. An identified cause for PALF despite a negative complete evaluation (indeterminate) is lacking in 30 to 50% of cases. Although not routinely performed in the setting of PALF, liver biopsy may be helpful in assessing the etiology, potential mechanisms of injury, determining the appropriateness of liver transplantation, and prognostication of the patients. In this article, we review the clinicopathologic characteristics of PALF with an emphasis on general approach of pathologic evaluation and histopathologic characteristic of selected entities.


Modelling the perception of music in brain network dynamics.
We analyze the influence of music in a network of FitzHugh-Nagumo oscillators with empirical structural connectivity measured in healthy human subjects. We report an increase of coherence between the global dynamics in our network and the input signal induced by a specific music song. We show that the level of coherence depends crucially on the frequency band. We compare our results with experimental data, which also describe global neural synchronization between different brain regions in the gamma-band range in a time-dependent manner correlated with musical large-scale form, showing increased synchronization just before transitions between different parts in a musical piece (musical high-level events). The results also suggest a separation in musical form-related brain synchronization between high brain frequencies, associated with neocortical activity, and low frequencies in the range of dance movements, associated with interactivity between cortical and subcortical regions.


Challenges and developments for the blue perovskite nanocrystal light-emitting diodes.
Perovskite nanomaterials have been highly thought as next-generation light emitters after recent development owing to their benefits of simple synthesis, low-cost, large-area, and wide color gamut. Encouragingly, the external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of green, red, and near-infrared perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have exceeded more than 20%. However, the performance of the blue PeLEDs is still lower than other analogs, which severely limits the applications of PeLEDs in future full-color displays. Herein, we have reviewed the advances in blue perovskite NCs and their applications in blue PeLEDs. Promising blue perovskite emitters and strategies for fabricating highly efficient blue PeLEDs based on perovskite NCs are investigated and highlighted. Moreover, we point out the main challenges in blue perovskite NC LEDs including low electroluminescence efficiency (EL), spectral instability, the difficulty of charge injection, and device optimization. The perspectives for the further development of blue PeLEDs are also presented.


Superior subluxation of an anterior end of the first rib in a trauma patient.
We present a case of a young man with a superior subluxation of an anterior end of the first rib following a road traffic accident. To the best of our knowledge, no similar case has so far been described in the literature. The patient presented with headache, backache and pain in the right anterior chest wall. After initial assessment, a chest radiograph was performed and it showed no abnormalities. A CT of the chest revealed an isolated hypermobile first rib at the anterior end owing to superior subluxation. The patient was treated conservatively.


Disaster aid? Mapping historical responses to volcanic eruptions from 1800-2000 in the English-speaking Eastern Caribbean: their role in creating vulnerabilities.
This paper uses volcanic eruptions on the Caribbean islands of Montserrat and Saint Vincent to explore the role that British colonial rule in the past and near past (1800-2000) has played in response to and recovery from hazardous events, and in turn, the influence that the nature of the hazards has on these responses. It shows that systemic vulnerabilities to natural hazards have been created by inadequate aid responses and longer-term chronic problems and demonstrates that hazard impacts are compounded by them. Vulnerabilities could be reduced by analysing integrated hazard impacts to generate mitigative measures across hazards and identify actions that more closely match timescales of political decision-making. Incorporating local knowledge and experience into risk analysis will enable the most effective use of aid resources, ahead of emergencies. Finally, coupling aid for long-term development with emergency response would improve outcomes and adaptation to longer-term vulnerabilities in immediate rebuilding and short-term recovery.


Epidemiological characteristics of measles from 2000 to 2014: Results of a measles catch-up vaccination campaign in Xianyang, China.
This study was a cross-sectional case-control study aimed at (1) identifying risk factors contributing to the measles epidemic and (2) evaluating the impacts of measles-containing vaccines (MCVs), with the goal of providing evidence-based recommendations for measles elimination strategies in China. Data on measles cases from 2000 to 2014 were obtained from a passive surveillance system at the Center for Diseases Prevention and Control in Xianyang. The effectiveness of MCVs was evaluated in 357 patients with a vaccination history and 503 healthy randomly selected controls. Patient data were subjected to multivariable logistic regression modeling. From 2005 to 2014, the average incidence of measles in Xianyang was 5.42 cases per 100,000 people. The second MCV dose was highly protective in 8-month-old infants. MCVs in general have been highly protective in 8-month-old infants. Multivariable logistic regression modeling indicated that age (≥2 years vs. <2years), MCV dose 2 vaccination, and MV vaccination were each independently associated with measles case status. In conclusions: A MCV should be administered on time to all age-eligible children, reproductive-age women, and migrant populations, to maximize herd immunity to measles.


Assessing the Effects of Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Supplementation on Pulmonary Inflammation in Male Mice Subchronically Exposed to Ambient Particulate Matter.
Chronic lung injury and dysregulated cellular homeostasis in response to particulate matter (PM) exposure are closely associated with adverse health effects. However, an effective intervention for preventing the adverse health effects has not been developed. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation on lung injury and elucidate the mechanism by which NMN improved immune function following subchronic PM exposure. Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were placed in a real-ambient PM exposure system or filtered air-equipped chambers (control) for 16 wk with or without NMN supplementation in drinking water (regarded as Con-H2O, Exp-H2O, Con-NMN and Exp-NMN groups, respectively) in Shijiazhuang City, China (n=20/group). The effects of NMN supplementation (500mg/kg) on PM-induced chronic pulmonary inflammation were assessed, and its mechanism was characterized using single-cell transcriptomic sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of whole lung cells. The NMN-treated mice exhibited higher NAD+ levels in multiple tissues. Following 16-wk PM exposure, slightly less pulmonary inflammation and less collagen deposition were noted in mice with NMN supplementation in response to real-ambient PM exposure (Exp-NMN group) compared with the Exp-H2O group (all p<0.05). Mouse lung tissue isolated from the Exp-NMN group was characterized by fewer neutrophils, monocyte-derived cells, fibroblasts, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells induced by subchronic PM exposure as detected by scRNA-seq transcriptomic analysis. The improved immune functions were further characterized by interleukin-17 signaling pathway inhibition and lower secretion of profibrotic cytokines in the Exp-NMN group compared with the Exp-H2O group. In addition, reduced proportions of differentiated myofibroblasts and profibrotic interstitial macrophages were identified in the NMN-supplemented mice in response to PM exposure. Furthermore, less immune function suppression and altered differentiation of pathological cell phenotypes NMN was related to intracellular lipid metabolism activation. Our novel findings suggest that NMN supplementation mitigated PM-induced lung injury by regulating immune functions and improving lipid metabolism in male mice, providing a putative intervention method for prevention of human health effects associated with PM exposure. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12259.


Prognostic significance of HOXB4 in de novo acute myeloid leukemia.
As research into hematopoiesis advances, new factors associated with hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) activity have been discovered, and the contribution of HSC factors to hematopoiesis is now actively being investigated. Since the involvement of stem cells is considered to be important in hematological malignancies as well as normal hematopoiesis, we examined the expression of newly defined HSC factors including HOXB4, TCFEC, HMGB-1, FOS, and SPI-1 in the bone marrow (BM) from de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Expression levels of mRNA extracted from frozen specimens of AML patients and normal controls were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among the HSC factors, HOXB4 exhibited significantly higher expression in the BM of AML as compared with normal controls. Immunostaining for HOXB4 revealed that the HOXB4-positive cell ratios correlated well with the expression levels of mRNA for HOXB4 in AML BM. Based on the HOXB4-positive cell ratio, AML patients were divided into two groups (cases with higher ratios and lower ratios). The group with higher HOXB4-positive cell ratios had better prognoses as compared with the group with lower ratios. Multivariate analysis confirmed the HOXB4-positivity as an independent predictor of overall survival of AML patients. Lastly, mRNA expression levels for HOXB4 were inversely correlated with the expression levels of at least two genes, including ABCB1, which is known to be a multidrug-resistance gene. Our study distinguishes a subgroup of AML with higher HOXB4 expression and better prognosis, and this might be reflected by relative drug sensitivity in leukemic cells.


Questionnaire-based measures are valid for the identification of rural households with hunger and food insecurity.
This study assessed the validity of questionnaire-based measures for the identification of rural households with hunger and food insecurity. Data used were from a 1993 survey of 193 households with women and children living at home in a rural county. Two interviews provided data on demographics, factors contributing to food insecurity, coping strategies, fruit and vegetable consumption, disordered eating behaviors, height, weight, dietary recall and household food-stores inventory. This information was used to develop a definitive criterion measure for hunger and food insecurity to compare with hunger and food insecurity items from Radimer/Cornell, the Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project (CCHIP) and the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). The Radimer/Cornell and CCHIP questionnaire-based measures had good specificity (i.e., percentage of truly food secure correctly classified; 63-71%) and excellent sensitivity (i.e., percentage of truly food insecure correctly classified; 84-89%) when compared with the criterion measure. Estimates of the prevalence of household food insecurity from the criterion, Radimer/Cornell and CCHIP measures were almost identical. The overall agreement of the Radimer/Cornell and CCHIP measures was very good. These measures can be validly used to screen for hunger and food insecurity among rural households similar to those studied and to target subpopulations for food programs. The NHANES III item alone had excellent specificity but poor sensitivity, and underestimated prevalence.


Posttraumatic stress disorder in female veterans with military and civilian sexual trauma.
This study examines relationships among military sexual trauma (MST), nonmilitary sexual trauma, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A sample of 196 female veterans was assessed for trauma occurring before, during, and after military service, and for current PTSD. The prevalence of MST was higher than that of premilitary and postmilitary sexual trauma. Premilitary trauma did not significantly increase the odds of experiencing MST, but did increase the odds of experiencing postmilitary sexual trauma. Logistic regression analyses revealed MST was more strongly associated with PTSD than was premilitary or postmilitary trauma. Women with MST had the greatest increased odds of developing PTSD. Understanding risk factors for and taking steps to prevent MST may reduce cases of PTSD in female veterans.


Cross-cultural differences in psychosocial adaptation to isolated and confined environments.
Differences in patterns of psychosocial adaptation under conditions of prolonged isolation and confinement in Antarctica were examined to determine the extent to which they were influenced by national culture in general and the individualist-collectivist orientation of national cultures in particular. The Profile of Mood States and measures of structural and functional social support were administered over an 8-mo period (March through October) to 13 winter-over crews from 5 nations operating research stations in the Antarctic: United States (3 crews, n = 77), Poland (3 crews, n = 40), Russia (3 crews, n = 34), China (3 crews, n = 40), and India (1 crew, n = 26). Americans at South Pole Station reported significant increases in fatigue and anxiety and a significant decrease in vigor over the winter. During the same period, Russians at Vostok Station reported significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and confusion, and Indians at Maitri Station reported a significant decrease in anger. A significant decrease in social interaction with fellow crewmembers occurred at South Pole Station, Vostok Station, and Poland's Arctowski Station. Several differences were also observed between the five stations in correlations between mood scores and measures of structural and functional social support. An individualistic cultural orientation was significantly associated with low social support and low negative mood. Cultural background is associated with mood and social support as well as changes in these measures during the austral winter. Cultural differences in patterns of psychosocial adaptation must be considered in the formation and training of multinational crews for long duration missions in space.


"I Need my Own Place to get Better": Patient Perspectives on the Role of Housing in Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations.
To analyze patient perspectives on the role of housing in their potentially preventable hospitalization. Individuals admitted with cardiovascular-or diabetes-related diagnoses (n = 90) in a major medical center in Hawai'i completed an in-person interview eliciting patient perspectives on key factors leading to hospitalization. Using the framework approach, two independent coders identified themes. This study focused on housing-related findings. Overall, 23% of participants reported housing as a precipitating factor to their hospitalization, including 12 with no regular place to stay. Four housing-related themes emerged: challenges meeting basic needs, complex chronic care management difficulties, stigma and relationship with provider, and stress and other mental health issues. Almost 25% of patients identified housing as a key factor to their hospital stay. Patient-reported themes highlight specific mechanisms by which housing challenges may lead to hospitalization. Addressing housing issues could help reduce the number and associated cost burden of preventable hospitalizations.


[Experimental direction and development of synthetic vascular grafts].
In this paper a review of the present achievements as far as the usage of vascular prostheses is concerned was made. The attention was paid to the regeneration of endothelium cells and cells of smooth muscles in the morphogenesis of the neointima. The actual views concerning the causes of failures of nowadays applied graft, in particular those used to average and small arteries were presented. The interaction of the materials and vascular grafts of plastics with blood platelets as well as with plasmatic components of the clotting system and fibrinolysis was described. The changing hemostatic properties of synthetic vascular grafts, and particularly the thrombogenicity of their internal surface was characterized. The factors which can have an influence upon the non-thrombogenicity of the surface of the future, better vascular prosthesis, and some directions of the experiments that can influence the production of better, then now available vascular prostheses in future.


GDF15 Interference Regulates Proliferation, Inflammation, and Autophagy of Lipopolysaccharide-induced Mesangial Cells by Inhibiting PI3K/ AKT/mTOR Signaling.
Chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) is a primary glomerular disease. As a circulating protein, growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) participates in a variety of biological processes. We aimed to investigate the role of GDF15 in CGN. HBZY-1 cells were induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Cell viability was detected using a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and a western blot was applied for the detection of GDF15 protein expression. After GDF15 silencing, cell proliferation was evaluated by CCK-8 assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EDU) staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to detect the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Autophagy was assessed by GFP-LC3B assay. Besides, the expression of NF-κB signaling-, autophagy- (LC3II/I, Beclin l and p62) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling-related proteins were measured by western blot. Afterwards, PI3K agonist 740Y-P was used to clarify whether GDF15 affected LPS-induced HBZY-1 cells via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. LPS induction increased cell viability and elevated GDF15 expression in HBZY-1 cells. After GDF15 expression depletion, the increased proliferation of LPS-induced HBZY-1 cells was decreased. Additionally, GDF15 knockdown suppressed the release of inflammatory factors in LPS-induced HBZY-1 cells and activated autophagy. Moreover, the PI3K/AKT/ mTOR signal was evidenced to be activated by GDF15 deficiency. The further addition of 740Y-P reversed the impacts of GDF15 deficiency on the proliferation, inflammation, and autophagy of LPS-induced HBZY-1 Conclusion: Collectively, GDF15 downregulation could protect against CGN via blocking PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.


Dose-related interaction between timolol and adrenaline.
The effects on IOP of a combination of oral timolol maleate and adrenaline eye drops were investigated in a double-blind randomized trial using health volunteers. Timolol was given in two doses, 20 and 5 mg a day. One percent adrenaline eye drops were given to one eye, placebo to the other. The results showed a significant additive effect of adrenaline with the smaller dose of timolol, but with the larger dose of timolol the effect of adrenaline was antagonistic. These results may be due to an incomplete beta-blockade with the smaller dose of timolol, but a complete blockade with the larger dose.


Over-expression of small ubiquitin-like modifier proteases 1 predicts chemo-sensitivity and poor survival in non-small cell lung cancer.
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. Despite the advances in therapy over the years, its mortality remains high. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteases 1 (SENP1) in NSCLC tissues and its role in the regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. We also investigated the association between the expression level of SENP1 and the clinicopathological features and survival of the patients. A SENP1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) was constructed and transfected into the NSCLC cells. VEGF gene expression was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunohistochemistry staining was used to assess the expression of SENP1 in 100 NSCLC patients and its association with the clinicopathological features and survival was analyzed. VEGF expression was significantly higher in NSCLC tissues than in normal lung tissues. Inhibition of SENP1 by siRNA was associated with decreased VEGF expression. SENP1 was over-expressed in 55 of the 100 NSCLC samples (55%) and was associated with a moderate and low histological tumor grade (3.6%, 38.2%, and 58.2% in high, moderate and low differentiated tumors, respectively, P = 0.046), higher T stage (10.9% in T1, and 89.1% in T2 and T3 tumor samples, P < 0.001) and TNM stage (10.9% in stage I, and 89.1% in stages II and III tumor samples, P < 0.001). The rate of lymph node metastasis was significantly higher in the SENP1 over-expression group (76.4%) than that in the SENP1 low expression group (33.3%, P < 0.001). Sixty three patients received postoperative chemotherapy, including 34 with SENP1 over-expression and 29 with SENP1 low expression. Among the 34 patients with SENP1 over-expression, 22 (64.7%) patients developed recurrence or metastasis, significantly higher than those in the low expression group 27.6% (8/29) (P = 0.005). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that lymph node metastasis (P = 0.015), TNM stage (P = 0.001), and SENP1 expression level (P = 0.002) were independent prognostic factors for the survival of NSCLC patients. SENP1 may be a promising predictor of survival, a predictive factor of chemo-sensitivity for NSCLC patients, and potentially a desirable drug target for lung carcinoma target therapy.


Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye under visible light over Cr doped strontium titanate (SrTiO3) nanoparticles.
Strontium titanate (SrTiO3) and chromium doped SrTiO3 (Cr/SrTiO3) were prepared by modified sol-gel method with the citric acid as a chelating agent in the ethylene glycol solution for the effective photodegradation of methylene blue dye under visible light irradiation. The synthesized doped and un-doped SrTiO3 nanoparticles were structurally characterized and their photoresponse performances for the efficient degradation of methylene blue dye have been demonstrated. After introducing the Cr on SrTiO3, UV-Vis absorption was appeared the red-shift at 566 nm from 392 nm as compare with bare SrTiO3. The photocatalytic degradation activity of Cr/SrTiO3 was significantly improved to 60% degradation of methylene blue in 3 h under visible light, which is approximately 5 times higher than that of the bare SrTiO3.


Didymellaceae revisited.
The Didymellaceae is one of the most species-rich families in the fungal kingdom, and includes species that inhabit a wide range of ecosystems. The taxonomy of Didymellaceae has recently been revised on the basis of multi-locus DNA sequence data. In the present study, we investigated 108 Didymellaceae isolates newly obtained from 40 host plant species in 27 plant families, and various substrates from caves, including air, water and carbonatite, originating from Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Africa, the Netherlands, the USA and former Yugoslavia. Among these, 68 isolates representing 32 new taxa are recognised based on the multi-locus phylogeny using sequences of LSU, ITS, rpb2 and tub2, and morphological differences. Within the Didymellaceae, five genera appeared to be limited to specific host families, with other genera having broader host ranges. In total 19 genera are recognised in the family, with Heracleicola being reduced to synonymy under Ascochyta. This study has significantly improved our understanding on the distribution and biodiversity of Didymellaceae, although the placement of several genera still need to be clarified.


Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction-mediated Foxp3 knockdown may suppress the tumor growth of HCC mice by relieving immunosuppressive Tregs function.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Forkhead family transcription factor P3 (Foxp3) knockdown on the function of cluster of differentiation (CD)4+CD25+ regulatory T cell (Tregs) and the tumor growth of a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mouse model. CD4+CD25+ Tregs and CD4+CD25- T cells were sorted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with HCC. Then, ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD)-mediated Foxp3-microRNA (miRNA) was transfected into Tregs. Subsequently, CD4+CD25- T cells were co-cultured with PBMC and Tregs without Foxp3-miRNA (Foxp3+Tregs) or Tregs with Foxp3-miRNA (Foxp3-Tregs) and the proliferation-inhibition ratio of CD4+CD25- T cells was detected using a Cell Counting Kit-8. Additionally, HCC mice were treated with UTMD-mediated Foxp3-shRNA, the tumor volume was calculated and the content of CD4+ and CD25+ T cells in the blood were detected using flow cytometry. The content of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-2, IL-10, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in cultural supernatant and serum were detected by ELISA analysis. Foxp3-Tregs significantly reduced the inhibition effect of Foxp3+Tregs on the proliferation of CD4+CD25- T cells (P<0.01). The content of IFN-γ and IL-2 significantly increased, while IL-10 and TGF-β significantly decreased in the co-cultured system of Foxp3-Tregs compared with the co-cultured system of Foxp3+Tregs (P<0.01). Following treatment with Foxp3-shRNA, the average tumor volume, ratio of Tregs/CD4+ T cells and level of IL-10, TGF-β and VEGF significantly decreased, however, the level of IFN-γ and IL-2 significantly increased compared with un-treated HCC mice (P<0.05). Foxp3 knockdown may suppress the tumor growth of HCC mice through relieving the immunosuppressive function of Tregs.


[Callosal connections of the somatosensory area in the primate: anatomical and electrophysiological studies].
In order to study the callosal connections of the hand sensory field of the second somatosensory area of the monkey, experiments were carried out by combining the method of retrograde neuronal tracing with microelectrode recording. In six monkeys, Macaca Irus, single or multiple (5-8) injections of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were performed into the cortex of the parietal operculum of one side. Neurones retrogradely labelled with HRP (callosal neurones) were found in the post-central gyrus and in the parietal operculum of the contralateral hemisphere. Microelectrode recording from this hemisphere showed that the cortical zones of both the first and the second somatosensory area containing neurones excited by sensory stimulation of the contralateral hand also contained HRP-positive neurones.


Stable Co-Catalyst-Free Photocatalytic H2 Evolution From Oxidized Titanium Nitride Nanopowders.
A simple strategy is used to thermally oxidize TiN nanopowder (∼20 nm) to an anatase phase of a TiO2:Ti(3+):N compound. In contrast to the rutile phase of such a compound, this photocatalyst provides activity for hydrogen evolution under AM1.5 conditions, without the use of any noble metal co-catalyst. Moreover the photocatalyst is active and stable over extended periods of time (tested for 4 months). Importantly, to achieve successful conversion to the active anatase polymorph, sufficiently small starting particles of TiN are needed. The key factor for catalysis is the stabilization of the co-catalytically active Ti(3+) species against oxidation by nitrogen present in the starting material.


Malignant prolactinoma: is metastasis a must? Clinico-pathologic and immunohistochemical study of a case.
Pituitary carcinomas are rare tumors which have been conventionally defined as primary adenohypophyseal tumors with cerebrospinal or extracranial metastases. According to the current criteria even a highly invasive tumor without metastases is not considered as malignant. A case of pituitary adenoma is reported with an unproven site of metastasis but with rapid increase in prolactin levels (35,000 ng/ml), showing extensive invasion on radiology, and pathological and immunohistochemical studies indicating a highly mitotic variety of tumor. On the basis of this case we want to emphasize that extracranial metastasis is not a must to label a pituitary adenoma as a malignant tumor. Such aggressive behavior of the tumor and clinico-pathological course in itself should be sufficient for the tumor to be labeled as malignant.


Borderline personality disorder and age of onset in major depression.
In the present report from the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services (MIDAS) project, we tested the hypothesis that borderline personality disorder (BPD) accounts for the observed differences between early and late onset major depressive disorder (MDD). A total of 440 depressed outpatients were evaluated with semistructured interviews. Patients were subdivided by age of onset and the presence or absence of comorbid BPD. The overall pattern of clinical and demographic variables differed and two separate, multiple, logistic regression analyses addressed the association between age of onset and BPD in MDD patients. Comorbid BPD was not significant in the multivariable age of onset equation and the results of the multivariable analyses support the idea of difference between subtypes. It is concluded that although early age of onset is predictive of BPD, BPD is not a universal feature of early-onset MDD.


Citrullinated vimentin mediates development and progression of lung fibrosis.
The mechanisms by which environmental exposures contribute to the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis are unclear. Here, we demonstrate an increase in cadmium (Cd) and carbon black (CB), common components of cigarette smoke (CS) and environmental particulate matter (PM), in lung tissue from subjects with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Cd concentrations were directly proportional to citrullinated vimentin (Cit-Vim) amounts in lung tissue of subjects with IPF. Cit-Vim amounts were higher in subjects with IPF, especially smokers, which correlated with lung function and were associated with disease manifestations. Cd/CB induced the secretion of Cit-Vim in an Akt1- and peptidylarginine deiminase 2 (PAD2)-dependent manner. Cit-Vim mediated fibroblast invasion in a 3D ex vivo model of human pulmospheres that resulted in higher expression of CD26, collagen, and α-SMA. Cit-Vim activated NF-κB in a TLR4-dependent fashion and induced the production of active TGF-β1, CTGF, and IL-8 along with higher surface expression of TLR4 in lung fibroblasts. To corroborate ex vivo findings, mice treated with Cit-Vim, but not Vim, independently developed a similar pattern of fibrotic tissue remodeling, which was TLR4 dependent. Moreover, wild-type mice, but not PAD2-/- and TLR4 mutant (MUT) mice, exposed to Cd/CB generated high amounts of Cit-Vim, in both plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and developed lung fibrosis in a stereotypic manner. Together, these studies support a role for Cit-Vim as a damage-associated molecular pattern molecule (DAMP) that is generated by lung macrophages in response to environmental Cd/CB exposure. Furthermore, PAD2 might represent a promising target to attenuate Cd/CB-induced fibrosis.


Resolution of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and Persistence of Leishmania major in the Absence of Arginase 1.
Arginase (Arg) 1 is expressed by hematopoietic (e.g., macrophages) and nonhematopoietic cells (e.g., endothelial cells) and converts l-arginine into ornithine and urea. The enzyme is implicated in tissue repair but also antagonizes the production of NO by type 2 NO synthase in myeloid cells and thereby impedes the control of intracellular parasites such as Leishmania major In this study, we tested whether Arg1 is required for spontaneous healing of acute cutaneous leishmaniasis in C57BL/6 mice and for lifelong parasite persistence in draining lymph nodes (dLNs) of healed mice. In vitro, bone marrow-derived macrophages and lymphoid endothelial cells readily expressed Arg1 in response to IL-4 and/or IL-13, whereas skin or dLN fibroblasts failed to do so, even during hypoxia. In vivo, Arg1 was found in skin lesions and, to a much lower extent, also in dLNs of acutely infected C57BL/6 mice but became undetectable at both sites after healing. Deletion of Arg1 in hematopoietic and endothelial cells using Tie2Cre+/-Arg1fl/fl C57BL/6 mice abolished the expression of Arg1 in skin lesions and dLNs but did not affect development and resolution of skin lesions, parasite burden, NO production, or host cell tropism of L. major during the acute or persistent phase of infection. Similar to wild-type controls, parasites persisting in Arg1-deficient mice favored NO synthase 2-negative areas and mainly resided in myeloid cells and fibroblasts. We conclude that Arg1 expression by hematopoietic and endothelial cells is completely dispensable for clinical resolution of cutaneous leishmaniasis and for long-term persistence of L. major.


Mapping of endometriosis in patients with unilateral endometrioma.
To map the distribution of the sites most affected by endometriosis in patients with unilateral ovarian endometriomas.A descriptive case series of 84 patients with unilateral endometriomas undergoing laparoscopy for the treatment of endometriosis. To evaluate the distribution of the sites of endometriosis lesions, the peritoneal compartments were divided into 5 zones: zone 1/the anterior compartment, including the anterior uterine serosa, vesicouterine fold, round ligament, and bladder; zone 2/the lateral compartment, including the left and right ovary, ovarian fossa, tubes, mesosalpinx, uterosacral ligaments, parametrium, and the ureter; zone 3/the posterior compartment, including posterior uterine serosa, the pouch of Douglas, posterior vaginal fornix, and bowel; zone 4 consisting of the abdominal wall; and zone 5 consisting of the diaphragm.Of the 5 zones evaluated, the lateral compartment (zone 2) was the most affected, with 60.7% of the patients having dense adhesions around the left ovarian fossa and 57.1% around the right ovarian fossa. The ovarian endometriomas were more commonly found on the left side (54.8%) compared to the right (45.2%). In the posterior compartment (zone 3), the posterior cul-de-sac was obliterated in 51.2% of the patients. In the anterior compartment (zone 1), there were lesions in the vesicouterine fold in 30.9% of the patients and in the bladder in 19%. Lesions were found in the abdominal wall (zone 4) and diaphragm (zone 5) in 21.4% and 10.7% of patients, respectively.Unilateral endometriomas are important markers of the severity of endometriosis.


Ferromagnetism in Mn-doped GaN nanowires.
Using density functional theory we show that the magnetic coupling of Mn atoms in the nanowires, unlike that in the thin film, is ferromagnetic. This ferromagnetic coupling, brought about due to the confinement of electrons in the radial direction and the curvature of the Mn-doped GaN nanowires' surface, is mediated by N as is evidenced from the overlap between Mn 3d and N 2p states. Calculations of the anisotropic energy further show that the magnetic moment orients preferably along the [1010] direction while the wire axis points along the [0001] direction.


The occurrence of allergic illnesses among children at the pre-school age in the rural and urban area.
Allergic diseases have become recently an accretive medical as well as social problem, mainly in highly developed countries. Frequently they occur in the infancy and early childhood. In this analysis an attempt has been made to evaluate the occurrence of the allergic illnesses among 3-5 years old children living in the urban and rural environment. The research carried out has showed no significant differences in the occurrence of allergic diseases among children from cities and from rural areas.


Criterion B (social dysfunction) in persons with schizophrenia: the puzzle.
This review focuses on social dysfunction in persons with schizophrenia and addresses three main questions. What is the core ability that is disordered in social dysfunction according to mainstream paradigms? How is social dysfunction primarily assessed in current research? Which levels of personal experience, and which trans-personal and sub-personal factors, are assessed by mainstream empirical research? Empirical studies on social dysfunction include research on trans-personal factors (stigma, availability of social and psychiatric facilities, and family resources), sub-personal factors (neurocognition) and personal factors (social cognition, coping and noncognitive factors). The main recent findings of these approaches are described and commented upon. Inconsistencies between studies are identified. What is it like to be a person with schizophrenia in the social world? Building upon empirical research, we can finally address this question. We argue that more qualitative research is needed into the reasons that persons with schizophrenia have for adopting or embracing their given type of relatedness to the others.


GolS controls the response to gold by the hierarchical induction of Salmonella-specific genes that include a CBA efflux-coding operon.
Salmonella employs a specific set of proteins that allows it to detect the presence of gold salts in the environment and to mount the appropriate resistance response. This includes a P-type ATPase, GolT, and a small cytoplasmic metal binding protein, GolB. Their expression is controlled by a MerR-like sensor, GolS, which is highly selective for Au ions. Here, we identify a new GolS-controlled operon named gesABC which codes for a CBA efflux system, and establish its role in Au resistance. GesABC can also mediate drug resistance when induced by Au in a GolS-dependent manner, in a strain deleted in the main drug transporter acrAB. The GolS-controlled transcription of gesABC differs from the other GolS-regulated loci. It is activated by gold, but not induced by copper, even in a strain deleted of the main Cu transporter gene copA, which triggers a substantial GolS-dependent induction of golTS and golB. We demonstrate that the Au-dependent induction of gesABC transcription requires higher GolS levels than for the other members of the gol regulon. This correlates with a divergent GolS operator in the gesABC promoter. We propose that the hierarchical induction within the gol regulon allows Salmonella to cope with Au-contaminated environments.


Descriptive study of relationship between cardio-ankle vascular index and biomarkers in vascular-related diseases.
Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was supposed to be an independent predictor for vascular-related events. Biomarkers such as homocysteine (Hcy), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and urine albumin(microalbumin) (UAE) have involved the pathophysiological development of arteriosclerosis. The present study was to investigate relationship between CAVI and biomarkers in vascular-related diseases. A total of 656 subjects (M/F 272/384) from department of Vascular Medicine were enrolled into our study. They were divided into four groups according to the numbers of suffered diseases, healthy group (group 0: subjects without diseases of hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), coronary heart disease (CHD); n = 186), group 1 (with one of diseases of hypertension, CHD, DM; n = 237), group 2 (with two of diseases of hypertension, CHD, DM; n = 174), and group 3 (with all diseases of hypertension, CHD, DM; n = 59). CAVI was measured by VS-1000 apparatus. CAVI was increasing with increasing numbers of suffered vascular-related diseases. Similar results were found in the parameters of biomarkers such as Hcy, log NT-ProBNP, and log UAE. There were positive correlation between log NT-proBNP, Hcy, log UAE, and CAVI in the entire study group and nonhealthy group. Positive correlation between log UAE and CAVI were found in the entire study group after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, uric acid, and lipids. Multivariate analysis showed that log UAE was an independent associating factor of CAVI in all subjects. CAVI was significantly higher in subjects with hypertension, CHD, and DM. There was correlation between arterial stiffness and biomarkers such as NT-proBNP, Hcy, and UAE.


Multidimensional master equation and its Monte-Carlo simulation.
We derive an integral form of multidimensional master equation for a markovian process, in which the transition function is obtained in terms of a set of discrete Langevin equations. The solution of master equation, namely, the probability density function is calculated by using the Monte-Carlo composite sampling method. In comparison with the usual Langevin-trajectory simulation, the present approach decreases effectively coarse-grained error. We apply the master equation to investigate time-dependent barrier escape rate of a particle from a two-dimensional metastable potential and show the advantage of this approach in the calculations of quantities that depend on the probability density function.


Social approach and avoidance in language: N400-like ERP negativity indexes congruency and theta rhythms the conflict.
Motivational congruency has been examined using tasks where participants perform approach or avoidance movements towards socially positive or negative faces. Language is tightly intertwined with interpersonal cognition. Thus, similar situations could be represented by means of language in interpersonal contexts: adjectives furnish valence to people (e.g. someone is cordial or arrogant), and attitudinal verbs define direction to relationship-actions: approach-avoidance (e.g. accept vs. reject). In an Electroencephalography (EEG) study, 40 participants were presented with sentences where a character was valenced (e.g. "Arthur is cordial/arrogant") before being the target of a relationship-actions ("Grisela welcomed/ignored Arthur at the party"). We analyzed both Event-related potential (ERP) amplitude and time-frequency power in response to the attitudinal verb. For ERP amplitudes, we found a significant cluster between 280 and 370 ms, covering part of the development of a N400-like ERP component. This cluster reflects an interaction driven by congruency between motivational direction and target valence. Likewise, time-frequency power analysis revealed an enhancement of theta rhythms under incongruent conditions, most likely indexing conflict processing. Results support that relationship-actions are represented as approach and avoidance and thus involve conflict processing and resolution of incongruent situations. Implications for the interweaving of affective language and social cognition within Embodiment Simulation Theory are discussed.


A normative study of the Coolidge axis-II inventory, short form.
Coolidge (2001) has developed a short-form, the short Coolidge axis-two inventory (SCATI), a 70-item version of the original 225-item Coolidge axis-II inventory (CATI). In a normative study of this instrument, the test was found to have many of the psychometric properties of the original. Multivariate analysis revealed that the internal structure of the SCATI is similar to the original.


Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 infection leads to arrest in the G1 phase of the cell cycle.
Infection by the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is thought to cause dysregulated T-cell proliferation, which in turn leads to adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Early cellular changes after HTLV-1 infection have been difficult to study due to the poorly infectious nature of HTLV-1 and the need for cell-to-cell contact for HTLV-1 transmission. Using a series of reporter systems, we show that HeLa cells cease proliferation within one or two division cycles after infection by HTLV-1 or transduction of the HTLV-1 tax gene. HTLV-1-infected HeLa cells, like their tax-transduced counterparts, expressed high levels of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p27(KIP1), developed mitotic abnormalities, and became arrested in G(1) in senescence. In contrast, cells of a human osteosarcoma lineage (HOS) continued to divide after HTLV-1 infection or Tax expression, albeit at a reduced growth rate and with mitotic aberrations. Unique to HOS cells is the dramatic reduction of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p27(KIP1) expression, which is in part associated with the constitutive activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (Akt) pathway. The loss of p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p27(KIP1) in HOS cells apparently allows HTLV-1- and Tax-induced G(1) arrest to be bypassed. Finally, HTLV-1 infection and Tax expression also cause human SupT1 T cells to arrest in the G(1) phase of the cell cycle. These results suggest that productive HTLV-1 infection ordinarily leads to Tax-mediated G(1) arrest. However, T cells containing somatic mutations that inactivate p21(CIP1/WAF1) and p27(KIP1) may continue to proliferate after HTLV-1 infection and Tax expression. These infected cells can expand clonally, accumulate additional chromosomal abnormalities, and progress to cancer.